The sperm whale died from a fishing net in its esophagus.

The whale was emaciated when it was necropsied today, the veterinarian explains.

It takes powerful tools to cut through the thick layer of blubber. 8 min. ago

For the past few hours, researchers, veterinarians, and biologists have been hacking and cutting at the 20-ton sperm whale that stranded last week near Aalbæk in North Jutland, to determine the cause of its death.

And now the reason has been found.

The whale’s esophagus contained a total of **11.9 kilograms of fishing net**, which ultimately led to its death from starvation.

This is according to Tim Kåre Jensen, a veterinarian at the University of Copenhagen who participated in the necropsy.

*"There was only a very small amount of squid beaks in the stomach, which is its primary food source,"* he says. *"This suggests that the whale simply didn’t get enough food over a long period, and that’s what ultimately killed it."*

The discovery was a sad experience, he adds.

*"I find it tragic that the whale’s days ended over an extended time during which it couldn’t feed,"* he says. *"That’s a truly sad outcome."*

Charlotte Bie Thøstesen, a biologist and museum inspector from Esbjerg, agrees.

*"The net was lodged like a blockage in its throat,"* she says. *"That couldn’t have been pleasant at all."*

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